Clayton Richard was “really looking forward” to Saturday night’s game at Petco Park and the chance to pitch against close friend and former Chicago White Sox teammate Mark Buehrle.

But when the distress call came from Padres manager Bud Black in the 15th inning Friday night, Richard grabbed his jacket and ran toward the Padres bullpen.

After Nick Vincent had worked his third inning, the Padres were without relief pitchers.

Black had two options, go with infielder-outfielder Alexi Amarista as his emergency pitcher or ask Richard to forgo Saturday’s start and enter the game in the 16th in his first relief appearance since 2009.

Black called on Richard. “We wanted to win that game,” Black said.

Richard pitched two scoreless innings and Jesus Guzman singled home Jedd Gyorko in the bottom of the 17th to give the Padres a 4-3 win in their longest game since an 18-inning affair on June 7, 2009.

“When all is said and done, helping the team win a game like that is a lot of fun,” said Richard, who stopped a five-decision losing streak with his first win of the season. “As much as I was looking forward to pitching in the same game as Mark, I would not trade this for anything.”

Winning a marathon game is an adrenaline rush even in a 162-game season.

“Winning one of those leaves a great taste in your mouth,” said Black. “All of us have been on both ends. There can be a carry over.”

There was carryover, for example, after the Padres lost a 2-1 decision to Colorado on April 17, 2008, in a game that covered 22 innings and six hours and 16 minutes. Tony Clark, who played all 22 innings that night in his first start of the season, was never quite the same player. The Padres lost seven of their next eight games.

Part of the fall out from a game like Friday night’s are the roster adjustments that follow.

The Padres promoted left-handed pitchers Robbie Erlin and Tommy Layne from Triple-A Tucson Saturday morning while placing closer Huston Street on the 15-day disabled list with a left calf strain and optioning Vincent to Tucson.

Erlin was scheduled to start for Tucson Saturday night. Instead, he started for the Padres in Richard’s spot. Layne gave the Padres a fresh arm in the bullpen.

Not same injury

Street was sidelined for 35 games late last season with a strain to the same calf muscle.

“But this injury is in a different spot and not as severe,” the closer said Saturday.

Street said he felt the calf tighten while jogging Friday night in pregame drills. “That’s why I wasn’t available last night,” said Street. “When we evaluated the injury today, we determined this was the best course of action. It’s better to miss 15 games than risk it and have something else happen and miss 40.”

Black said the candidates to close games in Street’s absence would be the two pitchers who did it last year – Luke Gregerson and Dale Thayer.

“Luke is probably the guy we will turn to more,” said Black of the reliever who has allowed no runs on three hits and four walks with 11 strikeouts over his last 15 1/3 innings (16 appearances) to lower his season earned run average to 0.76.

Sore wrist

First baseman Yonder Alonso sat out Saturday’s game after being hit on the right wrist by a 93-mph fastball Friday night.

“I can’t grip a bat today, but it’s better than I thought it would be,” said Alonso. “It hit right on the bone. I was worried it might be broken.”

Notable

--Guzman on the first walk-off hit of his career: “It’s an amazing feeling when you have the game-winning hit after playing so long.”

-- Carlos Quentin returned to the lineup a day after being hit on the left hand.